Marshall Takes the Pressure off the Rest of the Bears and More NFC North News

When he walked to the podium with his little Charlie Brown style Christmas tree, he had a very specific agenda, says Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.

On the surface, it seems like he's just spouting off—at worst, giving the Packers bulletin board material, at best firing his team up.

However, Marshall's rant may serve another purpose—putting the spotlight on himself and pulling it off his team.

It's no secret the Bears are off-kilter after two losses in a row and four in the last five games. The team is on its heels, and it's fair to question whether the pressure might be too much to rebound under.

So Marshall has pulled the focus off them and their struggles and onto himself.

If this is the case, this is the best proof we've had so far that the fit in Chicago is better than anything he's had before. Marshall's reputation as a teammate was never stellar and ran the gamut from "OK" to "poor."

He has, by all accounts, been a tremendous teammate this year in Chicago and has stepped up for his fellow players more than once.

Whether this works or not remains to be seen. However, this is a new Brandon Marshall, one who has battled his demons and seems to have beaten them.

It shows on the field, and if we're paying attention, it shows off the field as well.